A3 Project Reflection

a) what did you discover/learn in the project

There are several things I learned through this project. First, I was able to gain a better understanding of CMU’s current efforts in sustainability and the areas that need improvement. I was quite disappointed by the efforts CMU has put in to tackle this issue, but it was good that I was able to have a better idea of our progress. One of the most meaningful things I learned through this project was the wide variety of options when it comes to designing for sustainability. What is even more interesting is that these ideas could work together rather than against each other.

b) what were you challenged by

One of the biggest issues with CMU was that there was no central body that operated the school’s sustainability efforts. I personally believed that creating the Office of Sustainability was the first step as to working on the sustainability issues on campus. It was challenging for me to find designs that could bring this change without actually suggesting that we create the office of sustainability. Therefore, I had to look for ideas that could bring pressure and incentive for the school to start making these changes.

c) what did you question

I questioned whether these designs could actually incentivize CMU to start taking initiative on these issues. I believe that there is a reasoning behind CMU’s lack of action in this area; one being indifference. Therefore, I questioned if these ideas would ever come into reality. However, I am fairly optimistic that as we students become more aware, change is inevitable.

d) how successful was your project

I believe my design was able to target numerous CLA layers. First it instigates student engagement in the issue which is vital when pressuring the institution to take action. Furthermore, it sets a platform for potential partnerships and initiatives that are able to bring systematic changes. There are definitely numerous more specific details that can be fleshed out of my design, however, I believe that it is very strong for a proposal to the CMU administration.

e) what did you learn from your colleagues

As mentioned previously, I was very surprised by the variety of ideas that came from this class. Through this variety, the class as a whole was able to target so many different areas of the sustainability issues on campus. This makes me hopeful that if the world is able to replicate the efforts and variety of ideas that our class produced, the designs can work cohesively to bring the necessary changes that are needed in our society.

f) what would you do differently

I think this goes for a both the A1 and A3 projects, but I wish I had more time to flesh out the small details of our design. Having more opportunities to discuss our designs and ask our classmates for their input could really result in stronger ideas that are able to take a comprehensive approach towards solving the issue.